The Los Angeles Lakers will host the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night for a much-anticipated NBA game. This Western Conference showdown has drawn significant attention following the blockbuster trade that sent star forward Luka Dončić to LA in exchange for 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis. Dončić had expected to spend his entire NBA career with the Mavericks, but the franchise ultimately decided to part ways with their 25-year-old cornerstone player. Dončić was understandably shocked and hurt by this decision. “I thought I’d spend my career here and I wanted so badly to bring you a championship,” Dončić expressed in his farewell message to Mavericks fans. Ahead of the game, Dallas head coach Jason Kidd shared a powerful statement about the trade with his former star.

“It’s a shock because you’re not familiar with that side of the business,” Kidd said, according to Christian Clark of The Athletic. “But you have to mature quickly. It’s a business.” “You think you’ll stay with the team forever, but the business of basketball sometimes gets in the way,” Kidd continued. “Teams change. I’ve been part of several team sales. Any sale can lead to change. It’s part of the process.” Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison confirmed that Kidd was unaware of the trade until it happened.

Mavericks GM Harrison explained that Kidd had no knowledge of the Dončić-Davis trade prior to its execution. “Jason didn’t know about it,” Harrison said. “But Kidd and I are aligned, and we discuss player archetypes and the culture we want to build. I understand the types of players he values.” The statement was made while Kidd was seated next to Harrison. The Mavericks will face off against the Lakers at 10 p.m. EST on Tuesday night.